Maybe We Could Stop this Goodbye
by TheIrishShipperholic
Summary: AU/AH. Their five-plus year marriage didn't bring them closer. Instead it drove them further apart. But now the hearts of former spouses Elena and Tyler are going to be sewn as one once more…with their son's diagnosis. [Tylena, Datherine, Steroline, Adaric, Masenna, Mabekah and co.]
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Maybe We Could Stop this Goodbye  
 **Author:** Katie/TheIrishShipperholic  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing but this story and my original characters  
 **Show/Movie/Book:** The Vampire Diaries  
 **Couples/Category:** Tyler/Elena, Stefan/Caroline, Damon/Katherine, Mason/Jenna, Matt/Rebekah, Alaric/Adelaide (original female character, played by Serinda Swan), mentions of Alaric/Isobel and Isobel/John. All others mixed within and throughout; alternate universe (AU)/all human (AH).  
 **Rating:** M, for later chapters with periodical alcoholic consumption and sexual scenes  
 **Summary:** AU/AH. Their five-plus year marriage didn't bring them closer. Instead it drove them further apart. But now the hearts of former spouses Elena and Tyler are going to be sewn as one once more…with their son's diagnosis. [Tylena, Datherine, Steroline, Adaric, Masenna, Mabekah and co.]  
 **Author's Note:** I've fallen in love with this "ship", even if they aren't – and never will be – together on the show. Even then, I'll still want to write stories about them and I hope you all enjoy taking this journey with me!

 **Chapter One**  
Elena Lockwood (nee Gilbert) used a gentle set of fingers to brush the dark hair out of her 5 year old son Caleb's face as the young boy was deep in slumber. Her gaze went over to see a sympathetic look from her former step-father's fiancé, Adelaide Talbot. "How are you holding up?" the blonde-haired Adelaide asked in a soft tone so she didn't wake Caleb. Elena looked down at her precious little boy as she let one shoulder lift then lower slowly back down. "It's okay to be scared, but just know that we're all here for you," Adelaide said, her tone still soft.

"I know, and I appreciate it," Elena said softly. A soft knock came to the wood paneling of the door and the two women turned toward the archway to see former spouses Isobel and Alaric walking in. Elena got up carefully from the bed, walked over and clung tightly to Alaric as she wept quietly in his strong chest.

Isobel grasped her daughter's hand, squeezing it before letting go and walking over to sit down in the chair next to the hospital bed. The fiercely protective mother in her worried that Elena's ex-husband would use his financial funds to whisk Caleb away, but Isobel was also proud that one of her four daughters had kept Tyler in the dark. _He didn't need this right now,_ she mused to herself as she thought about her earlier visit to the Lockwood mansion:

– – – – –

 _ _ **Three Hours Earlier**  
The brass knocker in front of her looked so inviting but the dark-haired beauty opted for pressing on the doorbell. And then she stood back to wait for someone to answer, which wasn't too long of a wait. Carol Lockwood's fake/forced smile had Isobel wondering if she was even doing the right thing by sneaking around her daughter's back. "What can I do for you, Isobel?" the older of the two women asked as she lets Isobel into the mansion.__

 _"Is Tyler around? I was hoping to speak to him about something important. And before you ask, it can't really wait another time," Isobel said, giving Carol a smirk._

 _Carol huffs. "Tyler is out at the moment," she told Isobel._

 _"We can do this the easy way, Carol, or the hard way, but either route, I need to speak to my former son-in-law," Isobel said firmly._

 _"Very well," Carol said before dialing her only son's cell phone._

 _– – – – –_

 _Tyler, who'd been out shopping with his bride-to-be Olivia "Liv" Parker, answers his phone with a gruffly spoken "What?"_

 _"Darling, it's your mother. Are you going to be at a stopping point soon? Isobel is here and…"_

 _"No, Mom. Liv needs my opinion," Tyler said; ready to hang up on his mother when her next words stop him in his tracks._

 _"Isobel Fleming is here, Tyler. I can't send her away because she asked to speak to you specifically," Carol told him._

 _"If it's about Elena, tell Isobel that I'm happily engaged to Liv and Elena should move on as well," Tyler said before hanging up, ignoring any further calls by turning his phone off. And then he met the cool stare of Katherine Gilbert Salvatore when he glanced up. "What is this, corner Tyler day?"_

 _"I'll have you know that I was helping Amara shop for a wedding dress," Katherine said with a slight scowl. "I also don't appreciate seeing you flaunting Blondie the way you are now, especially when she hasn't slept in a week."_

 _"What do you mean she hasn't slept in a week?" Tyler asks in a low, demanding tone._

 _"That's for you to ask Elena about and not me," Katherine replied._

And that was how a fuming Liv found herself pacing up a storm in the children's ward waiting room at the Richmond hospital where Tyler and Elena's son was resting. Down the hall, Elena glares at her ex-husband as he steps closer to draw her into a fierce embrace. "I don't want you here," Elena said; attempting to push him away was a difficult task, as he only tightened his arms around her. Elena then buries her face in his neck and tightens her grip on him. A sniffle and then a choked sob escape Elena from deep within her chest, Tyler pressing her head of dark, messy hair further against his chest in a firm, gentle push. Deep down, Elena knew that she couldn't stay strong forever when it came to seeing her ever growing family, but Tyler was the only one who saw through the walls known as her emotions.

"I'm here, Lena. I'm right here," he murmurs into her hair and Elena let the flood gates swing wide open. Tears flow freely down the tan skin of her cheeks as she felt the tender caresses of his hands running through her hair and combing it back out of her face.

"They're calling it chiari malformation," she explained between sobs as Tyler wipes her tears. "Too many surgeries, Tyler…he doesn't deserve that. He's only 5 years old."

"I know, but he's a Lockwood AND a Gilbert," Tyler told her with a soft, reassuring smile. "That makes him twice as tough to be able to fight for his life."

Elena is about to respond when she noticed two familiar faces appear into view behind Tyler. "Hey, we just heard the news," her very pregnant godmother, Jenna Lockwood (nee Sommers) said and Elena buries her face in Tyler's chest once more, sobbing quietly. Jenna places a comforting hand on Elena's shoulder, squeezing it with sympathy and affection. Jenna then stepped inside of Caleb's room, going around the former spouses still embracing to walk (waddle) up to her great-nephew's hospital bed.

All of Caleb's family had been rocked to the core when they heard the diagnosis but none so more than his mother, and even then, her female relatives had to distract her with food – mostly the junk kind – so she wouldn't explode in anger. Jenna eased down into the chair next to Caleb's hospital bed. "So young, strong and determined, just as you were when you were little," Jenna murmurs as she reaches up to smooth back the dark hair Caleb had inherited from both of his parents.

Tyler's uncle, Mason approaches the door to the hospital room and came to a stop. Dark blonde-haired Carson was nestled in her father's arms, half asleep while her younger sister slept peacefully in her car seat. Elena leaves Tyler's arms and reaches for Carson, who snuggles against the dark-haired writer. Mason then placed Melinda's car seat onto the floor next to his wife's feet, kissing the top of her head before looking at his nephew and nodding toward the hall. He and Tyler step out of the hospital room after Tyler tells his ex-wife that he'd be right back. "What's up, Uncle Mason?"

"Do you really want to drag your fiancé into long nights that are spent at the hospital when Elena needs your love and support?"

"No." Tyler drags the word out. "But this IS a big deal to Liv and her family. If they found out why I called off the wedding…"

"So don't call it off. Tell Liv that you want to postpone the wedding until you know Caleb will be okay," Mason told him.

Tyler nods, letting the idea sink in before he headed toward the waiting room in search of his fiancé. But it was completely empty, causing Tyler to frown, and he was turning to go when he noticed an envelope with his name written on the front in Liv's handwriting. Reluctantly, he picked up the envelope and turned it over to pull the folded pieces of paper free.

Never in his young adult life did Tyler Lockwood expect to get his heart broken. Not once, but two times…and the first time didn't count, since she was right down the hall.

 **Author's Note:** The next couple of chapters will begin on the starting point with Tyler and Elena's relationship as well as the downfall of their marriage and Caleb's unexpected arrival into their lives.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Yes, I'm a big meanie. I like Liv, but not enough for her to end up with Tyler in this. She'll show up in a couple of chapters, but it might take some tweaking on how to mold her the way that I want her to be. I also want to thank the people who inspired me to bring in the next two female characters who will have major roles in the upcoming chapters of this story.**

 ** _Previously in "Maybe We Could Stop this Goodbye", Elena tells Tyler that their son Caleb has chiari malformation, a rare disease that will require years of surgeries and numerous hospital visits. Liv dumps Tyler, leaving only a note for him._**

 ** _Chapter Two: How They Fell in Love_**

 _Isobel stepped out of the car driven by John Gilbert then opened the back door and reached inside to very gently ease her toddler daughter into her arms. Cradling the half asleep Elena closer to her, she turned to wait for John to emerge from the driver's side of the car. The couple walk toward the impressive front porch of the Lockwood mansion, where Richard and Carol waited with a dark-haired – the color as black as could be – little boy that stood proudly in front of his parents. Isobel could clearly see he wasn't dressed up too much like he had been in the past, but Tyler was still wearing some khaki slacks and a light blue button-up shirt. "Hello, Tyler," Isobel said, giving him a soft smile._

 _He waves back in response as Isobel moves up the porch steps, still holding Elena in her arms. Elena stirs from her place in Isobel's arms. "Mama, where are we?" she asked._

 _"We're at Tyler's, remember?" Elena looks at her with confusion in her expression before Isobel finally stops on the top step and puts Elena down. "Richard's brother Mason is going to watch you and Tyler while we go have lunch for an important business meeting. Is that alright with you, if you and Tyler get to hang out?"_

 _Elena's head of dark hair bobbed up and down in a nod of confirmation. "I love you, Mama. You too, Daddy," she said, looking up at John with a soft smile that matched her mother's._

 _John couldn't help but glance back and forth between Isobel and Elena, noting their similarities and differences. Elena took after her mother in looks but she had the kind, sweet and gentle compassion that only a Gilbert could possess. "And we love you too, baby," he responds with a smile on his face._

 _Elena smiles back then turns her head when she felt Tyler grasp her small hand in his own with a firm but gentle grip. "We'll see you two later. Tyler, behave for your Uncle Mason," Carol said before they left._

 _"Let's go play, Lena. I-I got some new jigsaw puzzles," Tyler said, his voice soft and his smile matching. Elena bobs her head up and down in a nod of affirmation, turning to follow him into the house._ Tyler tells this story to a now sleeping Caleb as Elena sleeps on the cot Dr. Meredith Fell-Gilbert had brought in. The dark-haired football coach had given his former stepmother-in-law a soft smile so as to give her gratitude for bringing the cot into the hospital room for her husband's grandson. Heaving a sigh, Tyler shifted to get up – which caused his ex-wife to stir from her slumber. "Go back to sleep, Lena. I'm just going to step outside to make some phone calls."

Her head bobs up and down in a nod before she's going back to sleep, as he steps out into the hall to do exactly what he'd said he would do: make the phone calls to figure out where Liv had gone. She wasn't going to be an easy person to track down but Tyler was going to do his damn hardest to find her. The cell phone number he had for her was apparently disconnected and Tyler lets out a frustrated growl before launching his foot out to kick the wall outside of Caleb's hospital room.

Elena heard the _thud_ of his boot-covered foot making contact with the wall and it jolted her out of her slumber so she went to investigate, finding him spitting out curse words. "Tyler? What's going on?" she asked, her tone soft and gentle. Tyler shook with silent anger, barely hearing her ask the question above the noise of steam pouring out of his ears. "Tyler?" Elena asked him a second time, this time clearing her throat to get his attention. Tyler finally glanced in her direction. "Are you okay? Is everything okay with Liv?"

"She broke up with me. Did you know that? 'Cause she did. Left me a letter and everything," Tyler spat out angrily. Elena winced at his tone.

"Is that any way to talk to someone?" a voice interrupted them and the former spouses glance over to see the last person either of them expected. Vicki Donovan Talbot approached them holding the hand of a little boy around Caleb's age.

"Please stay out of it, Vicki." Vicki ignored the low growl that came from Tyler and approached them a little more before gently drawing Elena into a fierce, one-armed hug.

"How are you doing, Elena?" The dark blonde-haired Vicki whispered softly to Elena. Elena gave her a tentative smile, so Vicki turned the brunette toward the hospital room as Riley followed behind his mom; going to run up to Caleb's bed and climbing into it in a gentle manner. "Have the doctors said how serious it will be?"

"Yeah. I don't know how many surgeries it will be but it's going to be a lot for someone his age. They're just glad that they caught it early enough." Elena's voice was quieter than usual and Vicki took immediate notice of the tears that slipped down her former enemy's cheeks.

"He's strong. A Gilbert & a Lockwood. He'll pull through this, Elena." Vicki's confident speech wasn't the first that Elena had heard from her family and friends but it wouldn't be the last one either. Elena nodded at the other woman's words before being swept up into another hug, hiding her face in Vicki's shoulder as the sobs came in full force.

 _ **Prom Night – Years Earlier**  
Elena moaned as Tyler nipped at the dark olive skin of her neck, sucking hard on a particular spot on the column while his hand bunched up the skirt of her dress until it was at the juncture of her hip. The pair stood there in a dark corner at the Lockwood mansion, having to mutually decide in opting out of going to the after party for their junior-senior prom in favor of spending more time together before they parted ways that fall. And they were going to be parting ways, but it was still hard. So now they were here in the dark corner at the Lockwood mansion and Elena's moaning was encouraging Tyler to search for – and finally find – the zipper on the side of her dress; easing it down in a slow, sensual manner. His girlfriend didn't dare stop him but quickly got the dress lowered to her waist. A strapless bra was the only thing that prevented Tyler from seeing her bare chest but he quickly rid her of that and hoisted her up against the wall behind her, leaning forward to close his mouth around one round globe that ached for the touch of his hands & mouth._

 _The hand that he didn't have holding her anchored to him moved up along her rib cage until it had reached the underside of the breast he wasn't suckling with his tongue, nipping with his teeth, and tweaked the nipple between his fingers; more moans slipping from Elena's lips as she raised and lowered herself against his growing erection. Tyler was unable to hold back the low growl, the sound vibrating against the breast he held between his lips. "Ty…" Elena gasped out, her hands gripping the shoulder part of his tuxedo jacket and tightening her grip while holding onto him as he suddenly swept her into his arms, holding her anchored to him with her legs around his waist and carried her up the stairs to his room._

 _Placing her onto the bed in a gentle manner, Tyler shed her dress the rest of the way until it lay in a puddle by the end of the bed and climbed slowly on top of Elena; the look in his eyes turning dark with passion – passion she knew was all for her. "I love you," he murmured against her lips, catching them in a kiss that was gentle and nipping with demand at the same time._

 _"I love you too," Elena replied, pulling at his jacket, shirt and the belt holding his pants up; shedding them all until they landed with her dress on the floor. Tyler rid himself of the pants, and then his boxers were gone too, followed immediately by the barely there underwear covering the lower half of Elena's body. They were soaked completely through and Tyler grinned at Elena. "Hi…" she murmured, drawing him down for another kiss._

 _Tyler kissed her back then grabbed for the condom he'd deposited on the bed before getting rid of his pants and rolled it up over his thick length. Parting her legs, Tyler caressed her aching nub a few times to test her readiness then shifted to rub up against her a few times before sinking deep into her tightly clenched walls, groaning low as her walls grip his throbbing shaft in a vice-like manner; kind of like a boxing glove being slid on for the first time._

Elena didn't realize that she'd been lost in that memory until Vicki started calling her name, drawing her out of the fog of the memory. "Elena? Where were you just now?" Vicki asked, the tone of her voice (and the matching smile) gentle.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about…stuff," Elena replied. Stuff being the first time she & Tyler had had sex on their prom night, and conceiving Caleb that very night.


End file.
